Automatic shut-off valve for tanks



June '30, 1936. c. c, 'HARALSON 2,045,909

' AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR TANKS Filed Aug. 50, 1934 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- Cu// 6. Hanasaw INVENTOR m3 ATTORNEY June 30, 1936. c. c. HARALSON 2,045,909,

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR TANKS Filed Aug. 50, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY Patented Jane 30, 193

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR TANK Cull C. Haralson. Olney, Ten, assignor to The Texas Company, New tion at Delaware York, N. Y., a corpora- Application August so, 1934, Serial No. 142,031

- 3 Claims. (01. 137- '--68) tory results. Thesimplest and most efiective way of keeping air from the lines is to shut the tank oil the instant that the oil has been moved from the tank but, obviously, this cannot always be done by the operator since the tanks empty at all hours of the day and night and it would be impracticable to maintain an operator at each tank to shut it off the instant that all of the oil This invention relates to automatic shut-oil valves and more particularly to valves for shut-- ting off the suction or draw-oil line from a tank or reservoir when the liquid has been removed therefrom to such an extent that air would tend to enter the suction line.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an automatically operable valve which will securely close off a'suction line and in conjunction therewith an automatic pilot valve which will insure the operation of the main valve and prevent the latter from being held closed due to an excessive suction on the draw-off line. A further object of the invention is to provide a valve arrangement of this type which will involve a minimum number of movable parts and which will be simple and positive in operation. It is well known that air or other gas in a pipe line is very detrimental to the eflicient operation of the line. Since air will seek .the' highest point in a pipe line it will frequently pass backwardly in such a line being used to draw off a liquid from a tank arranged at a higher level than the line. The air thus passing backwardly through the line and into a tank of oil, for instance, will setup currents in the oil which will cause turbulence and stir up the sediment or water which may be at the bottom of the tank. This sediment and water will then be drawn into the pipe line with the oil and will cause an accumulation of sediment in the tank bottoms and pumps at the pumping stations located along the pipe line. The air passing backwardly into a tank of oil will also cause the oil to evaporate more rapidly, thus causing an undesired change in the gravity of the oil.

In oil pipe lines of small diameter a portion of .the air trapped in the line may be carried along with the oil to the pump moving the oil. A portion of this air may then remain in the pump with the result that the pump may be air bound and incapable of moving the liquid; The lining and packing in pumps which frequently become air bound 'wear out much more rapidly than pumps which are always full of the liquid.

Gaugers andother operators frequently spend considerable time each day in bleeding trapped air from the pi e line pumps. Oilcontaining paraffine will not clog-or stop up a. pipe line unless air or other gas is present therein. Again, oil containing corrosive elementswill not attack the steel inside the pipe or pump unless air or gas is present.

Several ways have been tried to solve the problem of air in pipe lines with rather unsatisfachas, been removed.

In accordance with the invention, an' automatic shut-off valve has been provided, this valve being connected in the suction or draw-off line at a. point fairly close to the tank from which the oil is being drawn. The valve arrangement comprises in eflect, two float actuated valves mounted within'a housing adapted to be maintained full-of oil as long as there is oil in the tank being drained. One of the valves is the main draw-off valve and is connected directly at the intake end of the suction pipe line, while the other is a pilot 20 valve also float actuated and arranged above the ing oil to pass directly into the suction line. Inv

case the main valve does not open the pilot valve will be opened as soon as the housing has become substantially full of oil and the oil passing through the branch'extension will break the suction in the main valve, thus allowing the latter to open. Any air in the housing will be exhausted through the air vent line.

When all of the oil has been drawn from the tank; air will pass into the housing to replace the oil and the valves will 40 close thus preventing any air from passing into the suction or main pipe line.

The check valve in the air vent line will prevent air from entering the housing and will thus maintain the housing full of oil until air has entered therein from the tank being drained.

- For a better understanding of my invention,

structure in detail.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a battery of tanks iii are adapted to be connected to a draw-oil or suction pipe line l2 and between the tanks and the suction line is mounted a housing l4, this housing being provided with a cover member I6 which is normally maintained tightly closed. The housing I4 is preferably mounted at a point at substantially the same elevation as the bottom of the tanks l0. A pair of drain pipes l8 having lock valves 20 disposed therein connect the tanks to a pipe 22 which in turn is connected to the housing l4 near the bottom thereof. The

suction line 12 is provided with a check valve 24, a gate valve 26 and an air-bend 28. An air-bend relief valve 30 is connected to the top of the bend 28 and may be used to test the suction line l2 for pressure or'it may be used for the'lnstallation of a vacuum valve.

The housing I4 is provided in its lower portion with a screen 32 which serves to prevent sediment from the tanks l0 entering the suction line. An air vent tube 34 is connected to .the top of the housing [4 and is provided with a check valve 38 opening outwardly and an air release pipe 88 and an auxiliary air release valve 40. The air vent tube 34 should preferably extend upwardly substantially as high as the top of the tanks l8 for a reason which will be pointed out hereinafter.

A main outlet pipe 42 is connected in the suction line l2 and extends into the lower portion of the housing M. A main valve 44 shown in detail in Figure 3 is connected to the intake end of the outlet pipe 42 and connected to the valve stem 48 is a float member 48.

An extension or branch pipe 58 is connected to the outlet pipe 42 and extends upwardly and into the housing l4 at a point above the main :valve 44.

A pilot valve 52 similar in construction but suitable tee or other device 66 to the outlet pipe 42. As has been stated, the pilot valve 52 is substantially the same but somewhat smaller than the main valve 44.

Assuming that one of the tanks I0 is empty and the oil level in the housing I4 is substantially midway of the main float 48 with the remaining space in the housing filled with air, and that the valves 26, 40 and 56 are open with the valve 88 closed and that there is a suction in the pipe line V I2, the appropriate valve 20 will then be opened and the oil from the full tank will flow into the lower portion of the housing l4 through the cleaning screen 32. The oil will rise in the housing l4 and the buoyancy of the float 48' may or may not cause the main valve 44 to open, depend.- ing onthe amount of suction in the line l2. The oil will continue to rise in the housing forcing the air therein outwardly through the vent tube 34 and check valve 35 until it has reached a level in'the tube'34 substantially: the same as the level in the tank l0 being drained. As soon as the 01] reaches the pilot float 54 that valve will open,

thusallowing oil to pass through the branch 58,

reducing the suction on the main valve 44 and allowingthe float 48 to rise, in case the main valve had. previously remained closed due to the suction in the line l2. As soon as the main valve 44. opens, the oil will flow directly from the tank through the outlet pipe 42 and thebranch 50 to the suction line l2 and this will continue as long as the suction is maintained and there is oil in the tank "I.

A- lock-plug 68 is threaded into one side of the housing I 4 and this plug may be removed when it is desired to inspect the valve 44.

-Assoon as the oil in the tank being drained and in the pipe 22 has been removed air will enter the housing l4 through the pipe 22 and will pass upwardly through the air vent tube 34 displacing the oil which had been trapped in the vent tube. The oil will continue to be drawn from the housing l4 and as soon as the level is lowered below the float 54 the pilot valve 52 will close. When entering the suction line l2. When it is desired 20 to drain another tank the operation will be repeated as has been described.

In case it is desired'to pass oil directly through the housing into the suction line I 2 such as in case of a possible failure of both of the float 25 tion of'the float valves in order to prevent air 30 from entering the suction line. The purpose of the air-bend 28 is merely to cause the check valve 24 to be covered with oil at all times.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as .hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

1. In combination, a housing having a chamber adapted to be filled with a liquid, a suction outlet conduit connected to said housing, a main valve at the end of said conduit within said housing, afloat connected to said valvefor normally maintaining. said valve open when the liquid level in said chamber is above said float, a branch conduit connected to said suction conduit and to said housing, a pilot valve at the end of said branch conduit within said housing and above said-main valve, and a second float connected to said pilot valve for opening said pilot valve to reduce the suction in said suction conduit when the liquid in said housing reaches a height sumcient to raise said second float.

2. In combination, a housing adapted to hold a liquid, a suction line connected to said housing, a'valve in said housing connected to the intake end of said suction line, a float for controlling the opening and closing of said valve in accordance with the height of the'liquid in said housing and means for reducing the suction in said suction line in case saidvalve should fail to open when the liquid in said housing rises above said float, said last named means comprising a bypass conduit connected between said suction line and the upper portion of said housing and a float-actuated pilot valve in the housing end of said by-pass conduit, said pilot valve being 7 with a liquid, a draw-off conduit extending into 75 said housing, a valve at the intake end of said conduit within said-housing, a float operably connected to said valve and responsive to the level of the liquid in said housing, a branch pipe from said draw-off conduit extending into said housing above said fleet controlled valve, a pilot valve mounted in the intake end of said branch pipe.

and a float operably connected to said pilot valve for opening said pilot valve to reduce the suction in said draw-ofi conduit when the liquid level reaches a height sumcient to raise said last men tioned float. 

